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SUMMARY: Reconnaissance satellites, first deployed in the early 1960s to peer into denied regions of the Soviet Union and other secretive enemy states, have from time to time been used by civilian agencies of the federal government to assist with mapping, disaster relief, and environmental concerns. These uses have been coordinated by the Civil Applications Office at the U.S. Geological Survey, a component of the Interior Department. Post 9/11, the Bush Administration sought to encourage use of satellite-derived data for homeland security and law enforcement purposes, in addition to the civil applications that have been supported for years. In 2007, it moved to transfer responsibility for coordinating civilian use of satellites to the Department of Homeland Security. The initiative was launched, however, apparently without notification of key congressional oversight committees. This report provides background on the development of intelligence satellites and identifies the roles various agencies play in their management and use. Issues surrounding the current policy and proposed changes are discussed, including the findings of an Independent Study Group (ISG) with respect to the increased sharing of satellite intelligence data. Check out the full report here

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Now that everyone has shaken off the tryptophan side-effects from eating too much Thanksgiving turkey, we are ready to get focused and back to work. What better way to dive into the challenging work world than to read up on the latest news and headlines — beyond the Tiger Woods car crash (although it does seem a bit shady) — that impacts you. Today, we have compiled a number of stories that cover both domestic and international topics; news about Japan and India’s expanded space/satellite power, as well as a sobering post about the U.S. losing its dominance. As we always say, fire up that second cup of coffee and read on.

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